Cleaning Up The Augean Stable: Global Community V. China

While 2019 ended on a sad note of the outbreak of Corona virus aka CODIV19, unfortunately 2020 did not only commence with the evil disease but inherited the deadly virus with its globally ravaging consequences.

The statistics of casualty stands as follows: about 100 countries/territories been affected with a total of 340,829 cases resulting in 14,582 deaths, still counting.

Nigeria is one of the affected countries. The Health Minister, Dr Osagie Enahire in his media broadcast on 20th March, 2020 painted a picture of a safe country with 25 cases, though no death yet. Perhaps it is not yet time to apportion blames, that is why US President Donald Trump was halted when he reportedly referred to the disease as ‘Chinese virus’.

It’s probably provocative, says China but where is it coming from? China is one of the 55 countries that signed the Paris protocol on Climate change in 2015 and these nations represented about 55% of countries responsible for global greenhouse gas emission.

That’s the proportion of contribution to possible global health crisis, like CODIV19. By paragraph 6.2 and 6.3 of the Agreement, signatories are bound by International Transfer of Mitigation Outcomes (ITMO) obligations. Besides China is also a member of global community.

The global community has collective responsibility to keep the world safe for human habitation, hence climate change with negative consequences had induced serious concerns for mitigation. Perhaps the starting point would be for corporate China to acknowledge its corporate social responsibility, then failure to observe same leading to the outbreak of the virus would be the bone of contention.

The response of corporate institutions across the globe indicates some acknowledgement of corporate social responsibility, For example Microsoft, Starbuck , Google, Amazon etc are now leading other companies in the clean up of the aftermath of the deadly virus. Some of the practices of these corporate institutions include employee protection, Corona committees, conducting tests, sanitisation, medication etc.

One of the measures taken at global level include stay at home policy where schools, corporate institutions, government office shut down, while operating from home and online. Is the global economy receiving deadly blows from both ends?

We are in danger of impending inflation, economic meltdown and crisis if global community fails to tackle the menace efficiently and effectively. It’s after the virus had been halted that the issue of corporate social responsibility would be dissected between the global community and China.

Iyke Ozemena Esq Corporate Attorney/Consultant IKECHUKWU O. ODOEMELAM & CO